September 27, 2004

Homeland Security as Union Busting

Tucked into the new House bill on 911 intelligence reform is another round of union busting. Having used the first Homeland Security bill to remove union protections from employees who are primarily engaged in intelligence, investigative and national security work.

But the new bill would add "homeland security" to the list of functions that the president can deem exempt from union representation. It would also remove a provision that prevented units transferred into the Homeland Security department from losing union protection without the President giving notice to Congress.

No legislator is claiming personal responsibility for this provision, but it's a taste of the subtle anti-union attacks that the GOP continually folds into legislation.